Bed or couch fabric.



W. J. GROTENHUIS.

BED OR COUCH FABRIC. APPLICATION FILED MAR.16, 1011.

Patented J an. 28, 1913.

WILLIAM J'. GROTENHUIS, OF

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

ASSIGNOR TO SANITARY STEEL COUCH COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ACORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

BED OR COUCH FABRIC.

Specification of Letters Patent.

rammed Jan. 28, 1913.

Application filed March 16. 1911. Serial No. 614,754.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J.. GROTEN- HUIS, a citizen of the UnitedStates of America, and resident of Chicago, county, Illinois,

Fabrics, of Which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to metallic fabrics for couches or beds in general,but more particularly to fabrics of this kind in which transverse andlongitudinal members are interwoven to form a. supporting structure, andin which the yielding or resilient effect is produced by helical springsto which the ends of the longitudinal members are secured, whereby theentire fabric is flexible and springy when subjected to weight, andwhereby each longitudinal member is free to slide endwise on thetransverse members to equalize the tension of the springs at oppositeendsof said fabric, the said transverse members being tied together attheir ends to form a ladder-frame which is mov-v able endwise by reasonof the springs at each end thereof.

The object of my invention is to provide in a fabric of the foregoingcharacter, a number of additional members which extend over all theself-adjusting longitudinal members, and means auxiliary to theinterweave of the fabric for preventing the longitudinal members fromspreading apart, said means being disposed on the underside of. saidadditional membersto prevent into the bedding, and lateral movement ofsaid longitudinal members being inopposed by the transverse membersexcept for th friction aused by the intcrweave, whereby the fabric isnot only firm and noiseless, but also of such character that thelongitudinal members are held'in place by the ladder-frame which isformed in part by said additional members, but without in any wayinterfering with the said endwise sliding self-adjustment of saidlongitudinal mem- .bers.

To these and other useful ends, my in vention consists in mattershereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of a metallicbed or couch fabric embodying the princples of my invention, showing thesame stretched on a frame to form a mattress. Fig. 2 is an en- Cook haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Bed or Couchlargedsection of one of the longitudina slats or members, showing' theadjacent portion of one of the cross slats which are pro vided with eyesthat receive the longitudinal members, and that preserve or equalize thespaces between said members. Fig. 3 is a perspective of the parts shownin Fig. 2.

As thus illustrated, my invention comprises side slats A, two at eachside of the fabric, which are spaced apart and permanently connected bycross slats B riveted thereto. Inthis way a truss or stiff frame isprovided at each side edge of the fabric. The intermediate longitudinalmembers are interwoven with the cross members B and have free slidingContact therewith.

' be members or slats A and C have their ends connected to helicalsprings D, whereby these members 0 arefree to slide endwise on the crossmembers, and this contact is free and unrestricted. \Vith thisarrai'igement, each longitudinal member is free to adjust itself endwiseto equalize the tension of the springs at opposite ends thereof. Inorder to equalize the spaces between the slats or members 0, and preventthe latter from being displaced laterally, cross slats E areprovided,each slat being disposed about midway between one end of the fabric andthe center thereof. Each slat E is provided on its under surface witheyes a that are spaced apart and arranged in a row. The slats O arethreaded through the eyes a and are thus held against lateraldisplacement without'interfering with the sliding contact which themembers C must have in order to have free endwise shift independently ofeach other. In this way each meml'ier C pulls upon its springs I), oneat each end, and does not pull upon anything else, as it has no point ofattathun-nt to any other )OIiiOll of the fabric. The eyes 0 are disposeton the underside of the additional cross members F to prevent injury tothe bedding. \Vitb this arrangement, therefore, means are providedauxiliary to the intcrweare to prevent the longitudinal members from sarcading apart. The trusses or still .traincs formed by the members A,and the end por tions of the cross members, serve to prevent lateraldisplacement or distortion of the sides of the fabric, when weight isthrown upon the center of the fabric, thus preventing undesirablesagging. The springs D are attached to the end bars F which are. con

' and' described. I

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A bed frame and resilient metal fabric stretched thereon, comprisingtwo sets of longitudinally opposed springs for uniting the opposite endsof the fabric with the bed frame, and means whereby the transverseaction of the fabric, and also the longitudinal action thereof, aresustained entirely by the said springs, including'longitudinal membershaving free and unlimited sliding self-adjustment on the fabric toequalize the tension of the springs at opposite ends thereof, and crossmembers provided with devices for preventing lateral displacement ofsaid longitudinal members without interfering with the free endwisesliding self-adjustment thereof, the fabric being interwoven1t)hroughout the area between said cross memers.

2. A bed frame and resilient metal fabric stretched thereon, comprisingtwo sets of longitudinally opposed springs for uniting the opposite endsof the fabric with the bed frome, and means whereby the transverseaction of the fabric, and also the longitudinal action thereof, aresustained entirely b the said springs, including longitudinal membershaving free and unhmited sliding self-adjustment on the fabric toequalize the tension of the springs at opposite ends thereof, and crossmembers provided with devices for preventing lateral displacement ofsaid longitudinal members without interfering wit-h the free endwisesliding self-adjustment thereof, the .fabric being interwoventhroughoutthe area between said cross members, and said devices being disposed onthe frame, and means whereby the transverse action of the fabric, andalso the lon itudinal action thereof, are sustained entirely by the saidsprings, including longitudinal members having free and unhmited slidingself-adj ustment on the fabric to equalize the tension of the springs atopposite endsthereof, and cross members provided .with devices forpreventing lateral displacement of said longitudinal members withoutinterfering with the free endwise sliding self-adjustment thereof, thefabric being interwoven throughout the area between sald cross members,and said devices being formed to prevent injury to the bedding.

Signed by me at Chicago, Illinois, this 13th day of March 1911.

WILLIAM J; GROTENHUIS.

Witnesses R. KnARNs', S. LEWIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained forfive cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

